Archive · 2 Aug 2026
Nasreen Calls for UCC, Secular Schools, and Political Reform
Taslima Nasreen, a writer from Bangladesh, came back to Kolkata after almost 20 years to speak to the press.
She said that all people should have the same laws, not different ones for each religion.
She also said that schools called madrasas should be turned into regular schools because they sometimes teach bad ideas.
Nasreen said that a political party called the Awami League should not be banned and that its leader, Sheikh Hasina, should be allowed to come back to Bangladesh.
She thanked the local government for keeping her safe and hoped that India and Bangladesh would stay friends.
Taslima Nasreen returned to Kolkata after nearly 20 years to speak on secularism and women's rights.
She called for a Uniform Civil Code across South Asia and for Bangladesh to become a secular nation.
Nasreen demanded the abolition of madrasas, labeling them ‘jihadi factories’ and urging conversion to secular schools.
She criticized Jamaat‑e‑Islami and the ban on the Awami League, calling the latter undemocratic and urging Sheikh Hasina’s return.
Nasreen praised West Bengal’s security assurances and expressed hope for improved India‑Bangladesh relations.
- Who
- Taslima Nasreen, Bangladeshi writer and activist
- What
- Gave a press conference in Kolkata calling for a Uniform Civil Code, abolition of madrasas, and political reforms in Bangladesh
- When
- Sunday
- Where
- Kolkata, India
- Why
- To advocate for secularism, women's rights, and democratic governance in Bangladesh
- Speaker
- Taslima Nasreen
- Location
- Kolkata, India
- Key Issues
- Uniform Civil Code, Madrasas, Secularism
- Political Parties Mentioned
- Awami League, Jamaat-e-Islami
- Date of Event
- Sunday
